Raval had scored seven half-centuries and begun to face questions as to when he would pass three figures, answered the doubters with successive boundaries off Ebadat Hossain about 15 minutes before lunch.

New Zealand batsman Henry Nicholls completed his sixth half-century in Test matches as only 17 balls were bowled because of rain on the third day of the first cricket Test against England at Eden Park.

The pair are likely to join Kagiso Rabada in an impressive pace attack after the 21-year-old showed in the final one-day international in Auckland on Saturday that he was warming to New Zealand conditions.